Tips on filing I-131 for Re-entry Permit

[cherokee 0]

Hi Guys,

I am a regular over at immigrate2us.net. My husband just got approved for his CR1!!!

But now I have a new problem! I am a graduate student in anthropology and I have to do one year of fieldwork in Peru and South Korea. My lawyer said that my husband needs an I-131 re-entry permit for stays outside of the US for longer than 6 months. But that even with that document, he won't be guaranteed to be let back into the US!!!

So here are my questions:

1. Has anyone had problems with this document? Were they not let in after a stay out of the US?

2. Should I get my lawyer to help me with this form, or should I do it on my own? I have tons of evidence as to why I need to be out of the country for a year. My husband will be there with me just hanging out, not working.

3. Will he need to do biometrics for this permit to be approved? We are going to Peru Oct 1 to December 11. Then Korea from December 29, 2008 to December 2009. Do the biometrics need to be done inside the US? Can he leave before the application is approved? Or can he do them abroad?

4. My other idea was if it was so stressful to do this travel document, then we might as well have him stay here in the US while I do my fieldwork. But my lawyer said 'no way!!' on that idea because we would have problems when it came to removing the conditions on the greencard. Proving the validity of marriage.

What do you guys think? I am pretty stressed out!! haha